Khosrow Goudarzi - Watsonville CA Fernando I. Maltos - Watsonville CA
International Classification:
A23N 1502
US Classification:
99637
Abstract:
Apparatus for trimming and slicing stem-type vegetables such as broccoli and the like. The apparatus is specifically adapted to slice the stem-type vegetable stalk into longitudinal sections and includes a pair of mutually opposed resilient close spaced surfaces on opposite sides of a first plane. Each of the surfaces is divided into two closely spaced parts on opposite sides of the second plane normal to the first plane. The resilient surface parts may comprise polyurethane foam surfaces on conveyor belts or conveyor pulleys which are moved synchronously with respect to each other in order to carry the vegetable stalk along a given path. A knife is mounted in the path of movement of the vegetable stalk with its knife edge forming its leading edge with respect to the vegetable stalk in order to slice it longitudinally. The knife may have two or more blades and the vegetable stalk is preferably gripped by the resilient surfaces throughout its length during the cutting process. The resilient surfaces are relieved to accomodate and center the trunk portion of the vegetable stalk and the gripping of the vegetable stalk from four sides by the resilient surfaces results in minimum breakage of the branch portion of the vegetable stalk.